ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stock — shares
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. field — a subject
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. firm — decided
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. squash — the sport
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stock — goods
  14. firm — a company
  15. field — for sport
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bass — low music
  18. rash — a series
  19. firm — steady
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. field — farmland
  22. bass — the fish
  23. squash — to crush
  24. rash — hasty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com